


Lost | Loved

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-13
Updated: 2015-08-13
Packaged: 2018-04-14 11:11:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4562403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This Bruce Wayne doesn’t have children. This Bruce Wayne has no idea who he is. But maybe that could only last so long.</p><p>(Based on/set sometime after Batman #43)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lost | Loved

**Author's Note:**

> Based on today’s Batman #43, and something Alfred seemed to specifically _not mention_ to Bruce during their chat. So. Read that first, or read a summary or look up the panels to know what I’m talking about. Also from some convos with [nevolition](http://tmblr.co/md7tF0dFiwic7-TcZtve19A) about how DEVASTATING THIS WOULD BE FOR HIS KIDS, but especially the baby. :( Except I’m a little tipsy and having an unhappy ending just wouldn’t do, so. Yeah. This is gonna rot your damn teeth. Damian was at Wayne Tower doing some work with Lucius and Luke, I dunno. They let him bring his dog because reasons.

It’d been an accident.

He’d been taking a walk through the park, heading from Wayne Tower over to Drake’s dingy little flat for a quick lunch. It was so Drake could check up on him again, he knew, and for some reason, that didn’t bother him as much as it would have before.

Besides, he had been meaning to check up on his elder brother too.

And if Titus hadn’t stopped. If Titus hadn’t let loose an intensely excited howl and went running across the field, if Titus hadn’t caught Damian by surprise and been strong enough to jerk his leash from Damian’s grasp…maybe none of this would have happened.

But his dog was an imbecile, and it _did_.

Damian’s heart sank the moment he saw the park bench that was Titus’s destination. The bearded man sitting on it had only just now noticed the beast of a dog barreling towards him. Was only just now frowning in confusion.

But he couldn’t turn back now, couldn’t even hide behind a nearby tree. The man had already spotted him. Had already quickly put together the simple fact that he was the dog’s owner.

Damian sighed. Glanced towards the sky and took a step forward.

“Stupid dog.” He murmured.

Bruce Wayne smiled as he approached. “Big dog for such a small kid.”

Damian swallowed the lump in his throat. “Yeah, I guess.”

“Bet your old man was hoping you’d grow into him when he got him for you, huh?” Bruce chuckled as Titus sniffed at his beard. “Or maybe that’d you stay small forever, and this here-”

“Titus.”

“-mighty _Titus_ would be your guard dog, and protect you for your whole life.” Bruce finished, lifting his hands to rub at Titus’s muzzle.

“To be honest, I don’t know _what_ he was thinking.” Damian admitted softly, politely. Trying to do everything in his power not to cry, not to fall into this man’s arms.

Because this was Bruce Wayne. This was _just_ Bruce Wayne.

But this wasn’t his _father_.

“But we’ll stop bothering you, sir. I apologize on my dog’s behalf.” Damian reached down, grabbed at Titus’s dragging leash and turned away. “Come, Titus.”

Titus gave Bruce’s nose one last lick before trotting happily behind the little boy. Bruce watched him for a moment, before cocking his head to the side.

“Son?” And the boy visibly froze. When he glanced over his shoulder, his eyes were wide and hopeful. And somewhere deep down, Bruce felt guilt, because he knew he was going to disappoint him. “…Do I know you?”

The bright, almost-green eyes remained wide, but the boy’s face closed off immediately.

“No.” The boy whispered, looking away once more and continuing along the path. “You don’t.”

~~

Damian’s breath was heaving when he slammed open the front door of the manor, Alfred the cat skittering quickly through his legs and into the foyer.

“Pennyworth!” He called frantically, looking around for the old man. The alert was deemed urgent, and the butler had promised to be waiting for him in the doorway. “What’s the matter? What is it? What’s hap-”

His voice drifted away as he heard footsteps from the study, as the person who appeared from within it was not old and frail, but middle-aged and muscular. And _bearded_.

He could only stare as Bruce Wayne walked out of the entryway. Slowly stepping into the area, almost like a predator watching his prey. But that wasn’t the analogy to use here, but Bruce didn’t looked threatening. He looked… _happy_.

“Mister…Mister Wayne?” Damian gaped, glancing only briefly downwards to watch his cat twine between Bruce’s legs. “What are you…I…I’m sorry for my intrusion, I was just looking for Mister Pen-”

“Damian.” And his name was said with such warmth, such joy, such _relief_ , that Damian didn’t need anything else. He didn’t need to ask what had happened. He didn’t need to ask for more proof.

“Father…?” Damian tried. Bruce’s smile grew, reached up into his eyes and…were they misty? Was…was Bruce Wayne crying? Damian didn’t know, too distracted by the man stepping forward, opening his arms. And any hesitation he might have had was gone in an instant, as he pushed off the door with his hands, and went barreling into the waiting embrace. _“Father!”_

Bruce crouched at the last second, letting Damian impact his chest with full force before enveloping him completely. Damian buried his face in Bruce’s neck, inhales hitching as he felt the scratch of that ridiculous beard across his face, as Bruce peppered his cheeks with kisses.

“I’m sorry, son.” Bruce whispered into his hair, clutching at the back of his head. “I’m so sorry, Damian.”

Damian didn’t respond. Just shook his head, and clung tighter to Bruce’s shirt.

It didn’t matter. The event, the apologies. None of it _mattered_.

Because his father remembered.

Because his father remembered _him_.


End file.
